Ratchet and Clank 10 shuffle FicMix
by WhimsicalMayhem
Summary: 10 short one-shots with a variety of characters and genres.Rated T for a reason


**Ratchet and Clank 10 Shuffle Fic-Mix**

**I own nothing...**

**Ah, the temptation to do this was just to great! So here you are with 10 really short stories for your reading enjoyment! The game universes change, so I'll warn you ahead of time. I'll also list the song title and artist, for those of you who want to listen while reading. Sorry for the technical issues. I've been putting up this story again and again..so if it gets through this time, then YEAH! If not, then I'll have to try again. **

**And now, to stories ^.^**

**#1) Loquat- Swingset Chain (ToD)**

Ratchet looked at the remains of the Lombax city. This was where his people used to live; millions upon millions of people who were just like him...

..only different.

A great, hollow feeling welled up inside of him. Why? Why him? Why had he been the only one left behind? Damn it, he'd been so alone...

"Ratchet?" the mechanical voice woke him from his introspective thoughts.

"Hm? What is it Clank?"

"Are you well? You seem quiet..." Clank seemed hesitant in his approach.

Ratchet sighed.

"Yeah pal, just...thinking. Come on, let's find the rest of those ship pieces."

And they did.

**#2) Sheryl Crow- Love is Free (ACiT)**

Clank hopped into the seat next to him, grinning at Ratchet brief expression of shock.

He didn't stay. He decided to come with Ratchet, to help him on his quest to find his people and his family.

Of course, it was more than just that. This was where he belonged. It had taken him...a little while to realized it, but you know how the saying goes : You don't really miss it until its gone. He was Ratchet's best pal, through and through.

As the boosters kicked in, Ratchet grinned.

The demolition duo was back, so the universe just better watch out!

And learn how to take a better joke.

**Aerosmith- Just Push Play (Radio Remix) (A4O)**

"Okay...RUN!" shouted Ratchet.

Him, Clank, Qwark, and Nefarious turned tail and pounded across the heavily forested landscape.

"Damn it Qwark!" Ratchet panted. He barrel-rolled as a arrow whizzed passed his arm, another one nearly clipping his ear.

"I _said_ sorry!" the large green man managed.

"_Now_ can I kill him?" called out Nefarious. The robotic Dr dodged and weaved trees and arrows alike with inhuman agility, occasionally reaching back and catching an arrow in mid-flight.

"I'm thinking about it!"

"Excuse me? What exactly did Qwark do?" asked Clank as he nimbly leapt over a large hole. An arrow bounced off his metallic body.

"What hasn't he done?" Nefarious mumbled. Ratchet just growled.

"He stole a flower, " the Lombax explained, glaring daggers at the Galactic President. " From a girl."

"Well, as rude as that is, I hardly see why-"

"The one that God gave her."

Clank opened his mouth, only to shut it again as realization dawned.

Oh, _that_ flower.

**#4) Rory Gallagher- Rue the Day (A4O)**

Nefarious face-palmed. Ratchet and Clank were giving him slightly horrified looks while Qwark was grinning at him like some stupid squishy monkey.

She had seemed like a good idea at the time. He had rolled with the punches and swinged with the curves and their fling had been _good._

Now he didn't know why he had started it. She was so obviously _not his type_. Boy, how he rued that day.

"Neffy." Cassiopeia snapped, bring the robot back to the present. "We need to chat." The 'T' in chat came down like a Guillotine, sharp and signifying the end of one's life if he did not act _very quickly._

Nefarious made eye contact with Ratchet, who simply cocked an eyebrow. The Lombax had been in _this _position before. Nefarious nodded.

Before the Valkyrie could have responded the group was pounding across the landscape, yet again.

"SEE!" called out Qwark between pants. "I'm not the only one who stole a flower!"

"Shut up!" growled Nefarious.

Rue. That. Day.

**#5) Aerosmith- Dude Looks Like a Lady (A4O) (Also, as a side note, for those of you who have read my fic " Pint of Oil" this is where the reference of Qwark cross dressing and the bar came from ^.^)**

Nefarious, Ratchet, and Clank sat at the table in the corner of the bar. The Tharpods that had come back to Octonok Cay were polite enough to serve them...and then drink themselves into a stupor. The adventures just decided to keep to themselves. They were waiting for their large green-clad friend to join them. He had wandered off to find a place to relieve himself and had yet to find his way back.

"He could have fallen in the Cay." speculated Ratchet. Nefarious harrumphed.

"If he's done that he should at least have the decency to drown."

"Can Qwark even swim?" asked Clank. Ratchet shrugged, while the Dr rolled his eyes.

"No, you know how much he _hates_ water. Probably thought he was too good to-"

The evil robot was abruptly interrupted when his jaw hit the table, Ratchet and Clank's following suit. The door of the bar had been thrown open with much gusto. The...err...woman that entered was huge and muscled. She was dressed in a white nurses dress with a matching hat. Huge, cheery red lips were puckered and her hair, much the same color as her lips, was styled simply so that it wouldn't be in the way of her all-too-familiar face.

"Hello Boys!" came the fake female cry, accompanied by a short wave.

The trio looked, unblinking and horrified, at the spectacle before them.

"Holy golden bolt, Nurse Shannon's back." groaned Ratchet when he found the will to speak.

"But that's-" started Nefarious.

"Dude looks like a lady, I know."

**#6) Evanescence- Lithium (Um? doesn't really have one...)(WARNING! Tear alert! Had trouble keeping my eyes dry while typing this)**

Talwyn fell on her knees. Her body felt numb, but her mind screamed out in agonizing pain. Was this her father's fate? Had Max Apogee really gone out this way?

It was terrible.

The skeleton was bleached and dry; the brittle bones splintering at some points where animals had rutted through them. The clothes, although still attached to his body, were tattered and torn; his ever present explorers hat missing from atop his sun-bleached head.

And there, clutched in his skeletal hands, was what Talwyn deemed the shattering of her broken heart.

A rectangular frame, within which was a yellowing picture. It was a picture of her and her father on her seventh birthday. She was sitting on his lap, like a real girl instead of the hardened mercenary she had become. Cronk was on one side of her in the picture and Zephyr on the other. They all looked so happy. Talwyn let out a small sob.

He was gone, and with him so was her heart.

Two robotic hands were put on her shoulders as she stared down at the picture.

"Miss Talwyn," said Zephyr slowly. "He...was an excellent man. We're sorry."

Talwyn shook her head, tears welling up in hers eyes.

"Yeah, me too."

**#7) Aerosmith- Back in the Saddle (Post A4O)**

Ratchet and Clank looked skyward. The tall buildings of Metropolis blocked out the sky, but not enough to hide the view of the huge space fleet that rocketed their way. A familiar laugh rang out on every holoscreen.

"Oh how it's _good_ to be evil again!" cackled Dr. Nefarious. "Bow to my will you **pathetic** squishes or face ANNIALAHTION!"

Clank and Ratchet exchanged glances.

"Back in the saddle again, it seems." commented Clank

"Ha! We ever left?"

**#8) Sara Bareilles- Bluebird (ACiT)**

"I'll leave you two alone." said Ratchet as he gazed at his friend. He turned away, only to pause and look back. He had promised himself he wouldn't do that.

"Take care of yourself pal." A sad smile covered the raging torrent of emotions that were ripping him up inside. His stomach twisted painfully and his throat got tight. An ache so powerful racked his body that he thought he would be reduced to his knees. His feet, like lead, were sluggish to move away from the only friend her ever had. The only person he had ever trusted. The only family he ever found.

But Clank had chosen to stay. And honestly, who could blame him? This was his home, where he belonged in the universe. Some people never find that, so how could he take that away from his best pal?

It was killing him, but he would never let Clank know that.

So her trudged back to Aphelion and set the coordinates for the nearest planet with a large city on it.

He was his best friend.

And now he was gone.

There was a small metallic "thunk" in the passenger seat next to him.

...Or maybe not.

**#9) The Beatles- Lovely Rita (A4O..I think...)**

Ratchet opened an eye hesitantly. Then he opened both. He thunked Clank on the side. The small bot opened both opticals.

"Hey," started Qwark, "Isn't that the Apogee chick?"

"Who?" asked Nefarious

The laser that was aimed at them _should_ have completely obliterated all four of them. Ratchet had been sure they were finished.

Only they weren't. And there was Talwyn, her energy blade stuck through the top. She pushed her dark bangs out of her face.

"You can thank me with dinner later." She smirked and retched her blade from the turret.

**#10) The Beatles- With a Little Help from My Friends (A4O)**

Nefarious stared down at the picture in his hands.

Friends. Friends? He had to guess so.

It had been fun while it lasted, his adventure. The stolen space ship had been a nice touch to the getaway, if not a bit painful. In a way, he now..._liked_ the goody trio.

He shook himself. What was he thinking? What sort of...squishy thoughts were these? He was an evil, maniacal genius! What did he need them for, besides rivals?

A planet -shatteringly loud horn suddenly blared through the ship's speakers, making Lawrence nearly jump out of his mechanical skin. Nefarious turn to look out the window.

Ephemeris was hovering next to him, from its red eye a long-eared silhouette waved at him.

The Dr. shoved away his butler minion, taking the wheel himself.

"Alright Lombax, your on." He snapped into a mic, a devious smirk crossing his metal lips.

Okay...maybe friends did have their uses...

The Dr. threw the ship into warp speed, Ephemeris following suit.

But Nefarious would never admit that. He had an image to keep up, after all ;)

**FIN**


End file.
